This route has been on my radar for a little while now. Before the attempt, I hiked up to the trig point to take this photo and get a feel for the morning.
It was a near cloudless, dry, cool morning with a lovely sunrise and sweeping views over Cheltenham and the Severn Vale.
The short climb up from the gate which marks the start and finish kicked the heart and lungs into action. Having spent much of the last few months hiking hills I had almost forgotten how uncomfortable it feels to run fast! Meeting the Cotswold Way the route passes the golf club and follows a series gates off Cleeve Hill and past Postlip Hall. I started to get into it climbing up through the woods towards where you leave the Cotswold Way and start to return to the common.
This part I didn't know so was following the gpx attached to the route. Went a bit wobbly over Cleeve Hill which lost me a few seconds. Passed the tree with the ring of benches round it and towards the trig point where I was really looking forward to meeting the last decent. I slapped the trig marker and let gravity pull me fast down the steep grassy slope, slipping a few times on the dew.
When I hit the gate and stopped my watch I actually said out loud "Thank God that's finished!" Checked my watch to the relief of a new fkt. I was aiming for sub 40 but.... you know... excuses, excuses.
What a fun, fun run x